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Cheng Yanqing attended university in Beijing but did not stay there after graduation.
During his four years of college, Cheng Yanqing and Qing Hang met a few times, though not frequently. Based on their three years of high school friendship, one could even say they were somewhat estranged.
When Qing Hang’s grandfather fell seriously ill, Qing Hang had to work part-time while managing his studies. Even getting a good night’s sleep was a luxury.
During his toughest six months, Cheng Yanqing spent all his rest time shuttling between two cities. Cheng Wanyue had transferred to a hospital in Nanjing, and her condition fluctuated. Every time the family left the ward, it could very well be their last time seeing her.
In the winter of 2013, Qing Hang’s grandfather passed away in their rented apartment. A week after his body was sent for cremation, Qing Hang contacted the landlord to discuss terminating the lease early. He had thought his grandfather would at least make it through the Spring Festival in Beijing, and the house was rented until the following spring. The landlord didn’t look friendly, and had been difficult to deal with even when renting, likely unwilling to refund the deposit or rent.
On his way to see the landlord, Qing Hang ran into Cheng Yanqing. This was their first meeting in Beijing.
They found a nearby restaurant to eat together. Cheng Yanqing had been hungry all day. Seeing that Qing Hang looked terrible and thin, and didn’t seem to have eaten, he ordered a lot of dishes. Just as the food arrived, Cheng Wanyue called.
Cheng Yanqing didn’t avoid Qing Hang and talked to his sister while eating.
During her treatment, Cheng Wanyue had many dietary restrictions. Cheng Yanqing lied to her, saying he was eating boiled eggs, which weren’t flavorful. He chatted with her for a while before finally handing the phone to Qing Hang.
In these eight years, this was the only phone call between Qing Hang and Cheng Wanyue, during which he only said two words.
Cheng Wanyue was the most vengeful person in the Cheng family, but she was also highly biased, especially towards people rather than actions. Cheng Yanqing wasn’t particularly petty, but some things were hard to forget. He still remembered how Cheng Wanyue had cheerfully told him over the phone that she was sick and asked if Qing Hang wanted to visit her, but Qing Hang had only said two words: No, thanks.
Then he left.
Cheng Wanyue seemed unfazed and continued chatting casually with Cheng Yanqing. Later, Cheng Yanqing learned from their grandmother that she had cried alone under the covers for a long time that night.
At that time, she hadn’t even told Zhou Yu about her illness.
…
The door opened slightly, and Cheng Wanyue whispered, “He’s rushing to work…”
Cheng Yanqing reached out a hand and pushed her head back into the room just as she was peeking out.
She reminded again, “He’s going to be late…”
This time, after Cheng Yanqing closed the door tightly, he leaned directly against it.
Cheng Wanyue hadn’t thought much of the soundproofing in this apartment before, but today she realized that even pressing herself against the door, she still couldn’t hear anything.
Cheng Yanqing had keys in his pocket. When Cheng Wanyue heard the door open, she ran to the kitchen. The things in the fridge were still what he had bought before leaving.
She grabbed a can of cola and secretly watched Cheng Yanqing’s reaction.
Hmm, not good.
In this situation, she needed to explain quickly.
Cheng Wanyue opened the soda tab and placed it at the corner of the table, slowly pushing it towards Cheng Yanqing with one finger. “I’m not the kind of person who immediately goes to live with someone else when you’re not around. There’s a reason.”
Cheng Yanqing kept a straight face. “What reason?”
“On Monday night, after I finished work and went to buy some late-night snacks, a drunk followed me. I was scared. You weren’t home. What if he followed me back and found out I lived here? It would be too dangerous!”
“So you went to Qing Hang’s place?”
“…I initially refused! But he said it wasn’t safe for me to be alone.”
“You have so many friends, and there are police officers too. Why did you only call him?”
“It was just a coincidence! I didn’t think much at the time, just dialed the first Beijing number I found.”
Cheng Yanqing found this increasingly suspicious. Earlier, he and Qing Hang only exchanged a few words. Since Qing Hang was in a rush to work, Cheng Yanqing only got to the point: His sister wasn’t here to suffer.
“The person you’ve been dating recently, is it him too?” he eyed Cheng Wanyue suspiciously.
Cheng Wanyue coughed twice and suddenly straightened her back firmly. “Is there something wrong with that?”
Cheng Yanqing was silent for a few minutes, his expression complex. “Just him? After all this time, you’ve only made thirty percent progress?”
“Don’t underestimate me. It’s already sixty percent!”
“You should hurry up and finish it. If you can’t handle it, then I’ll handle it for you.”
“No, I’ll do it myself.”
It took Cheng Wanyue a long time to realize that the biggest issue between her and Qing Hang was trust. He never seemed to believe that she could love him.
In her youth, she also thought she didn’t like Qing Hang that much.
Perhaps because she had received so much before turning eighteen, she didn’t know how to cherish it and never thought they would separate.
Cheng Wanyue changed the subject. “Where’s the gift my sister-in-law gave me?”
“In the suitcase,” Cheng Yanqing put the cola he had taken a couple of sips from on the table and got up to open the suitcase.
When he went abroad, he packed a full box of things his girlfriend liked to eat. On his return, the box was filled with cosmetics and jewelry, all bought for Cheng Wanyue at the airport.
“Woah! This bag isn’t cheap.”
“You can carry any expensive bag. If she gives it to you, just take it. I buy her plenty every year anyway. Besides, after we get married, I’ll have to hand over my salary to her. If we ever fight and she kicks me out, I’ll still have to stay at your place.”
Cheng Wanyue genuinely liked the gift. “Mm, mm! I’ll call my sister-in-law in a bit.”
“Cheng Yuzhou and Yan Ci both have tickets for the 17th; one is flying from Nanjing, the other from Shanghai. Yan Ci’s flight is a bit earlier.”
Yan Ci had also grown up with them since childhood and was Cheng Yanqing’s best friend.
“Ayu might not be able to come. She’s swamped, and it’s hard for her to get leave.”
Including Zhou Yu, they would all be there.
“One family representative is enough,” Cheng Yanqing took her things to her room and put them away one by one. “Uncle Two and Auntie Two originally wanted you to go to Nanjing, but I figured even if you went, your heart wouldn’t be there.”
Cheng Wanyue said, “Well, since I’m already here, I must handle it completely.”
Every year on their birthdays, the family would gather together.
Cheng Yuzhou always cleared his schedule in advance and never missed a single time.
As for Yan Ci, he happened to be coming to Beijing on business. Everyone was very busy this year, so they saw each other less. He took two days off and flew over the day before the birthday.
After taking a bath, Cheng Yanqing returned to his room to catch up on sleep. He used to be someone who could fall asleep instantly, but during the time Cheng Wanyue was sick, he stayed by her side day and night, and since then, his sleep hadn’t been great.
Cheng Wanyue quietly closed the door, and when changing clothes, she noticed the marks on her body and suddenly felt like she had underestimated earlier.
This was at least eighty percent handled.
...
At the hospital.
Qing Hang had just returned from the director’s office and was preparing to examine the patient’s brain CT.
Li Yu’s research project required clinical data. Qing Hang was her junior fellow, so Director Li assigned this task to him. The issue of article authorship would be discussed later. For now, he was to assist Li Yu in overcoming the challenges. He needed high-quality articles for his own promotion, and the hospital placed significant importance on research. With research achievements, the department would also award a certain bonus.
Qing Hang sat on the chair and instinctively checked his phone first.
The top WeChat chat message was still from yesterday when he told Cheng Wanyue that there were band-aids in the bedroom drawer.
She didn’t sleep well. Would she still be taking a nap now?
By three o’clock, Qing Hang finally sent her a message: Does it still hurt?
A colleague slid over on a chair to the desk. “Qing Hang, what were the specific requirements the leader mentioned at yesterday’s meeting? I had something on and couldn’t attend.”
Qing Hang picked up his phone. “I took a picture. Just wait a moment.”
He opened the photo album on his phone, only to find the entire screen filled with Cheng Wanyue’s selfies—various expressions, various angles, and even without zooming in, it was clear they were taken on the bed.
The colleague saw them too and asked with a smile, “Got a girlfriend?”
“I’ll send you that PPT in a while,” Qing Hang exited the album and flipped his phone face down on the table.
The colleague smiled, “Alright, send it to my WeChat. Don’t forget.”
After reviewing the patient’s CT results, Qing Hang got up and went to the restroom. He opened the photo album on his phone and started looking from the bottom-most photo.
In the photo, Cheng Wanyue had just woken up, hadn’t washed her face or combed her hair, and was still wearing his clothes, sleeping in his bed.
This silent intimacy reminded him of last night, where the illusory dream became reality. No matter how restrained he was, he couldn’t be gentle.
A WeChat message popped up.
Y: What do you think?
Qing Hang snapped back to attention. Looking at Cheng Wanyue’s WeChat profile picture, he suddenly thought of something to buy her.
She lacked nothing, had everything. Ordinary things she looked down on, common things she disliked, and anything without meaning she wouldn’t even accept.
Cheng Wanyue was eating watermelon and waited a few minutes to receive Qing Hang’s reply.
Lune: I’ll pick you up tonight. Don’t leave early.
Y: Cheng Yanqing will pick me up.
Lune: Let him sleep at home.
Y: He’s worried his beautiful and sexy little sister will be abducted by some pervert and can’t sleep.
Lune: If I don’t go, I won’t be able to sleep either.
Cheng Wanyue laughed so hard she started coughing. Cheng Yanqing thought she had choked.
“Eat slowly. I’m not going to snatch it from you.”
“Not choking,” she said with a smile, leaning closer. “Um... Can you wait for me at home tonight?”
Cheng Yanqing knew exactly what was going on. “So he gets to show off, and I have to give him the opportunity? Sister, let’s be more reserved. Men shouldn’t be spoiled. Give me your phone.”
Cheng Wanyue handed him her phone.
Two minutes later, Qing Hang’s phone vibrated.
Y: No way. I love my handsome big brother too much. It breaks my heart if he can’t sleep. If you can’t sleep, then don’t sleep.
...
Since a drunk had harassed Cheng Wanyue, Cheng Yanqing definitely wouldn’t leave her alone. He would drop her off to work and pick her up afterward. He almost hired two bodyguards to follow her around.
On the evening of July 17th, Cheng Wanyue left work half an hour early. She had requested leave from Meng Qi and would rest on the 18th.
It was raining in Nanjing, and Cheng Yuzhou’s flight was delayed.
Cheng Yanqing went to pick up Yan Ci. Cheng Wanyue originally wanted to call Cheng Yuzhou to check if he had arrived, but just as she turned the corner, she heard a nearby argument.
She looked up. Under the streetlamp, she could see two men. The older one was about fifty, and the younger one was very young, probably in his early twenties. He was dressed fashionably and sat on an expensive-looking black motorcycle, his expression extremely impatient.
The older man was so angry his hands trembled. He smashed the guitar the young man was carrying and slapped him hard.
Father and son? Or enemies?
“Hey, Uncle,” Cheng Wanyue, seeing the older man raise his hand a second time, raised her phone and waved it at him. “I’ve recorded it, and there are security cameras here.”
People who are influential care about their reputation in front of strangers. The man withdrew his hand, straightened his clothes, and before leaving, said: If you have the guts, never come home again.
Cheng Wanyue heard it and thought to herself, these two must be father and son.
Although the father was older, his features were well-defined. On closer inspection, the son bore a striking resemblance to his father.
Cheng Wanyue shifted her gaze away. She intended to hail a taxi, but she hadn’t walked far when a black motorcycle stopped in front of her.
“Hey, Sailor Moon,” Chi Yue removed his helmet and extended his right hand toward her. “Let’s get to know each other. My name is Chi Yue—Chi as in ‘pond,’ and Yue as in ‘excellence.’“
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